Rear folder for wrapping machines



Dec. 8, 1942. s` M. BoDoLAY 2,304,395

REAR FOLDER FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 4, 1940 z shees-sheer 1 Dec. 8, 1942. y s. M. BoooLAY 2,304,395

REAR FOLDER FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR *yid/ ATTORNEYS Patented Dee. s, 1942 UNITED STATES I mit OFFICE nnan FoLnEltFon momes stephen M. sodomy, spi-intitola, man., assigner to Package Machinery Company, S

minefield,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts` Appiieation November 4,' 1940, sei-iai No. 334,164

15 cioim (ci. iis-sz) This invention relates to folding mechanism for wrapping machines.

and rear projecting naps, the former of which is 4 folded v-down'bythe passage of the article over "a stationary folder, Aand the latter of which is t folded down by a' reciprocating plate movable faster than the-article up to a point in close ad#- Jancy with the stationary folder. This re'- ciprocating rear-folder must move its fulll disahead before the article passes over fthe "folding plate `in order that the rear flap may be folded `down before the-movement of the varticle brings the front' flap down on top of the rear one.l Even though the rear folder is arrested iin its forward movement and'isnot, as is customary,

"immediately drawn backwards; it will be4 seen that the continued `forward passage of the ar}x'.-

ticle-,carries the'rear flap over the surface of the stationary or backwardly moving rear folder in ja vdirection opposite to that in= which relative movement took place during the formation of. the fold. Thisgives a tendency for the rear flap to become unfolded which becomes more p ro- 'I mm'ftfm t0' the drawings 'io 'den ent rear 'flap-'folder is formed of a ieaipotn iepijeferobly constant andfolda The path One standard method `of wrapping consists in giving the wrapper an preliminary formation .to provide parallel fronti 20 Fig. {isa-fragmentary plan of a s this mechanism showing one form ,of coiisti'uc.-V Q

. fthef'older then diverges away from.

the"lArticle,Jface, thel point of. divergencev closesbdssible'to the stationaryfoldexj. TheV ofthe. exible folder-in the direction-'of j ward portion has. startedto move away from the article .in the diverging portion of the path, there `will still bea part of the folder which viii .traveling along the straight portion of the path 5 in contact vwith the rearflap. The folder at alll times goes faster than the article, and thus a" l. forward drag is exerted'at alltinies upon the flap` keeping it firmly foldedv in place. It is also preff erable in some cases-to cause the folder to en- .10 gage the forward flap and vtoj press it lightly against the stationary folder, l .the frictional wiping action thus obtained between the'gap and.

lthe movalfile folder 'serving to cause thigrfiap to Y bedrawn'tightly around the front edge of the v larticie. r

' Referringto the drawings:

Fig. 1 is=a sidel elevation of .a rear folder j anism for awrapping machine constructedix' accordancewith the invention; f

portion fof .tion of the flexible folder:V i

' l lllg.5, is on line- I-l of-Fig, 41; 1 Figa-6, 1,"andj8 are ditic views show- 30 ing the operatio-of`tnedevice; and

applied'to an .article "ofa differentshape.

f1-0. -sition thereon..fpy c1omping v,moi'iiiboirii li. A wrapperrto fis-folded.; around the article so asa to kxiblejiinlnbei-'Isuch,yfor example,.as a. plurality .jlr r provide one one long' flap, the lat- '5 Utell' ldnslitheflollim'stiok; By means of 'a' ,offoidersiizpwnieh reciprocate verticaleV 1y downv snoop during La' period of the coni lap' c*'.is"v folded over Aa.. stationary qemeotn. the *supporting moto;i irirom o point tol thev rear of the foldersill umida. position in Fig. 9v is a similarvie illustrating the device The 'wrappinfmlfhine itself. haenot vbeen -11-v f luetrated in detail' salts constmctionuoes not "3J relate V to the-,present 1 invention. The .articles u,

. .fveyinjg thefrontgandgrea'r cjand d.

"are folded As' ,the convey'- system-carries :thelo'llipopsriurther ahead the 4 folder is replaced by a flexible folder comprising a plurality of folding'members or segments I4 best shown in Fig. 3. These segments each' have a convex forward end I5 and a concave rear end I 64 so that they not only interflt to form a straight line folder as in F18.' 3 but also may form a substantially continuous curved folder as in Fig. 8. 'I'he individual .segments are preferably in contact and form a continuous surface, but in general it will be sufficient if they are substantially contiguous and form a substantially continuous folder so that control ofthe rear flap is never entirely lost.

Each of the segments I4 is supported on'a pintle I1 which projects laterally from a pair of parallel conveyor chains I3 and I9. As will appear from Fig. 1, the conveyor lchains pass around sprockets and 2|, the latter of which is adjacent the stationary plate I3 and determines the curved part of the path of the folder, The chains also pass aroundl guide sprockets 22, around driving sprockets 24, and around tensioning sprockets acted upon by springs 26 so as to keep the chains constantly under tension.- The driving sprockets 24 are driven by a. chainv 21 from a sprocket 28 on a drive shaft 29. As is best shown in Fig. 4, the drive sprocket 28 is fastened by clamp bolts 30 to a plate 3l in such a manner that the sprocket and the rplate between them grasp the flange 32 of a member 33 carried on the shaft; By loosening the bolts 30 the angular position of the driving sprocket can be changed relative to the drive shaft 29, and the timing of the flexible folder with respect to the remaining portions of the wrapping machine can be adjusted.

As stated above, the pintles I1 extend between the two chains and projectlaterally beyond one side. It should be understood that only a portion of the entire length of the chains is Yprovided with these pintles; Ait being necessary that the flexible folder, while possessing sufficient length to engage the rear flap until the forward ap is brought downl firmly upon it, must have sufcient gap between its trailing and front ends along its endlessr path to permit the flaps to be vfolded downwardly into this gas as shown in Fig. 6. The chainsl run upon guide ribs 35,- and are held down by ribs 36 ona cover plate 31. 'I'his may be suillcient to insure the accuracy of the pintles and the folders carried by them, but the pintles are preferably provided with hardened guide rolls resting on or very slightly spaced from a guide rail 39 suitably secured to the frame of the machine. The rail is prefera- I bly provided only asa safeguard to prevent too great lbending of the pintles away from the ar.- ticle the space` between the guide-rolls and the rails having been much exaggerated in the drawings for purposes of clarity. As a further means preferably made slideable on rods 4I and 42 extending laterally from a'main support 4l3.` `An 4adjusting screw v44 is rotatablyv secured tothe support `by collars and is threaded into a bracket 46 which slides on therods 4I and 42.

The adjusting screw has a hand wheel 41 by toward or away from the stationary folder I3. The bracket 40 is mounted on ways 43 on the bracket 46 and the latter carries an adjusting screw 49 which is threaded into `the bracket 40. The latter adjusting screw has a hand wheel 50 by whichthe folding assembly can be moved up or down to cause the flexible folding member to make the contact desired with the folded flap of the article.

It is believed that theoperation of the folding mechanism will be understood from the above description. As is shown in Fig. 6, the flaps c and d have been folded downwardly at a period in the cycle of the machine before the flexible folder has gone around into the position there shown. As the folder advances (which it will be remembered occurs during the advance of, the article itself) its leading end folds the flap d underneath the article, as shown in Fig. '7, in the case illustrated folding the ap underneath the supporting plate I0 as well. When the article has partially passed onto the stationary folding plate and the rear flap d has been completely folded down, the kflexible folder bends around its supporting pulley 2I, as in Fig. 8, instead of stopping or retracting as in the case of the usual reciprocating rear folder. It will be noted that the folder keeps up its continuous motion and that its rear portion still contacts with the flap d. This action, instead of causing the flap to loosen up, actually tightens it to a degree that can be regulated by .adjusting the height of the folder by means of the hand wheel 50. If a tight wrap of the front flap c is also desired, the flexible folder can be adjusted by means of the hand wheel 41 so that the fiap c isv pressed by the flexible folder against the stationary plate I 3. This will keep a frictional drag on the flap and will causeit to be laid down very tightly. It should be noted that this dragging action on the front flap can be brought about without in any way losing the tightness of the rear flap, the latter being lpushed underneath the forward flap at all times until the latter has come down upon it and firmly clamped it in place.

'I'he folding mechanism as above described is of course susceptible of many changes.` Instead of using an articulated member as shown the folding plate could be made from a piece of flexible leather belting. In general, however, to avoid the strains incident upon repeated bending of a single piece of material it is preferable to use a jointed piece as shown. Other changes may be made in order to accommodate the device to articles of different shape. For example, Fig. 9 shows a lollipop m of generally globular shape supported on a curved plate or spoon 55. The flaps are formed and folded exactly as in the preceding case. Thisl particular form of article isone of extreme diiliculty to wrap since vthe wrapper cannot be tightly drawn down the sides and since the bottom is curved. By the use of the folding construction described, a sufllcient forward pressure is kept on the rear flap lat all'times to keep this flap from being turned backwardly by the rearward drag of the front flap. In Fig. 9 a modified setting of the folder jis shown, the latter` not being in this case `which the whole folder assembly canfbe` shifted pressed against the stationary folder- I3. Many other changes may be made in accordance with the special nature of the article or machine to which the device is applied.

atomes which complices a 'nexible member and` means for moving the member in an endless non-circular path extending past one face of the article and then diverging sharply from said face.

2. In a wrapping machine of the type in which an article with projecting front and rear flaps 'is moved past a stationary front flap folder, a

rear flap folder comprising a flexible member, and means for moving said member at a speed faster than that of the article in a path extending past one face thereof and towards the stationary folder and diverging from the path of said article face adjacent the stationary folder.

3. In a wrapping machine of the typein which an article with projecting front and rear flaps is moved past a stationary front flap folder, a rear flap folder comprising a flexible member and means for moving said member at a speed faster than that of the article in a path extending past one face thereof and towardsthe stationary folder and diverging from the path of said article face adjacent the stationary folder, and in close enough proximity thereto to cause pressure of the front wrapper flap against said stationary folder.

4. In a wrapping machine of the type in which an article with projecting front and rear flaps is moved past a stationary front flap folder, a rear flap folder comprising a conveyor, a flexible folder projecting laterally from the conveyor, and means for moving the conveyor in an endless path carrying the flexible folder past one face of the article and diverging sharply from the article face adjacent the stationary folder.

5. In a wrapping machine of the type in which an article with projecting front and rear flaps is moved past a stationary front flap folder, a rear flap folder comprising a conveyor, a flexible folder projecting laterally from the conveyor. means for moving the conveyor in an endless path carrying the flexible folder past one face of the article `and diverging sharply from the article face adjacent the stationary folder, and means for adjusting the conveyor toward and away from the stationary -folder to cause said flexible folder to press the front wrapper flap with a regulable'pressure adjacent said stationary folder.

6. In a wrapping machine of the type in which an-article with projecting front and rear flaps is moved past a stationary front flap folder, a rear flap folder comprising a conveyor, a-p1urality of pintles projecting laterally from the conveyor.

a plurality of folding members mutually articulated and one mounted on each of said pintles, and means for moving the conveyor in an endless path ycarrying the assemblage of folding members past one face of the article andediverging sharply from said `article face adjacent the stationary folder.

'7. In a wrapping machine of the type in which an article with projecting front and rear flaps is moved past a stationary' front flap folder, a rear flap folder comprising a pair of spaced endless chain conveyors, a plurality of pintles projecting laterally from a portiononly ofthe length of the chains, a plurality of contiguous mutually articulated folding members carried by said pintles, guiding means supporting said pintles for movement in a predetermined path, and means for moving the chains at a speed faster than that of the article to carry the` Afolding members as a unit in a path extending past one face of the the article face at a point adjacent the stationary folder.

8. In a wrapping machine of the type in which an article with projecting front and rear flaps is moved past a stationary front flap folder. a rear flap folder comprising a pair of spaced endless chain conveyors, a plurality of pintles projecting laterally from a portion only of the length of the chains, a plurality of contiguous mutually articulated folding members carried by said pintles, guiding means supporting said pintles for movement in a predetermined path, flexible chains interconnecting the pintles on either side of the folding members, and means for moving the chains at a speed faster than that of the article to carry the folding members as a unit in a path extending past one face of the article and in a direction toward the stationary folder, said path then diverging from the path of the article face at a point adjacent the stationary folder.

9. In a wrapping machine of the type in which an article with projecting front and rear flaps is moved past a stationary front flap folder, a rear flap folder comprising a pair of spaced endless chain conveyors, a plurality'of pintles projecting laterally from a portion onlyV of the length of the chains, a plurality of contiguous mutually articulated folding members carried by said pintles, guiding means supporting said pintles for movement in a predetermined path, means for moving the chains at a speed faster than" that of the article to carry the folding membersaswa unit in a path extending past one face of theV article and in a direction toward the stationary folder, said path then diverging from the path of thevartlcle face at a point adjacent the stationary'. folder, and means for adjusting the chains, pintles, and

folding members bodily `toward and awayfrom` the stationary folding member. 4

l0. In a wrapping machine of the type in which an article with projecting front and rear flaps is moved past a stationary front flap folder', a rear flap folder comprising a flexible member,

and means for moving said member continuously at a speed faster than that 4of the article in an endless path extending past one face thereofl and in a direction toward the stationary folder,l said path diverging from said article face ad-3.

jacent the stationary folder, thel length of the flexible member in the direction of its endless path being limited sufficiently to permit the flaps to be moved into a position crossing the path of vendless path extending past one face thereof and in a direction toward the stationary folder, the extent of said folder in the direction of its endless path being sufficient to permit the folder to remain in contact with the rear article nap until the front flap has been folded at least partially on top of vit.

12. In a wrapping machine of the type in which an article with projecting front and rear flaps is movedpast a stationary front flap folder, a rear flap folder comprising a exible member, and means for moving said member continuously at a speed faster than that of the article in an endless path extending past one face thereof and in a direction toward the stationary folder, the

13. A folder for wrapping machines and the like comprising a flexible member of nite length, and means for moving the member in an endless unidirectional path in part contiguous to but lying in a plane at right angles to the plane of a face oi the article to be wrapped, and then diverging abruptly from said article face, whereby the leading edge of the member may strike and fold down a wrapper iiap projecting from the article and the surface of the member may continue to wipe against the folded down flap after said leading edge has diverged therefrom.

i4. .A folder for mapping machines and the like comprising a exible plate-like member of @nite length, and means for moving the plate-like member in a unidirectional endless path having a plane portion extending parallel to but lying. in a plane at right angles to the plane of a face of the article, and a subsequent portion diverging sharply from said plane of the article face and causing bodily bending of the flexible plate-like member, whereby the leading edge of the member may strike and fold down a wrapper iiap projecting from said face of the article and the surface of the member may continue to wipe against the folded down flap after said leading edge has diverged therefrom.

15. In a wrapping machine or the like, a folderl of finite length and means constraining it for movement in a non-circular unidirectional endless path wholly external to the article when the latter is in folding position and 1n part contiguous to and conforming to but lying in a plane at right angles to the plane of a face of the article to carry the folder unidirectionally past said article face.

STWHEN M. BODOLAY. 

